Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: Shvegel on January 14, 2017, 10:47:32
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This is probably a bit too "General" but it is such a neat find I figured I would post it here. I was looking for the story of the Studebaker executive who purchased a 300SL in parts so he could assemble his own car rather than buying a complete one and I stumbled across this site. The 300SL and 190 Assembly photos are really neat and all the side stories are a bonus find.
http://johnstraub.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-mercedes-studebaker-connection.html
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great collection of photos, thanks!
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Did anyone notice that the engine was mounted prior to the shell in case of the roadster and post the shell in case of the gullwing?
Does anyone know why?
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Or do you mean the 190 SL? I found some production line shots of the gullwing and they show the engine in the chassis.
I would guess it had to do with the type of the chassis. The 190 SL was a monocoque type set-up (modified from the pontoon cars) and a space frame on the gullwing and roadster.
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Ha! On another look I see what you said, it is 190SL indeed.
it even said underneath the picture.... Thanks Jonny.
Or do you mean the 190 SL? I found some production line shots of the gullwing and they show the engine in the chassis.
I would guess it had to do with the type of the chassis. The 190 SL was a monocoque type set-up (modified from the pontoon cars) and a space frame on the gullwing and roadster.
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https://revslib.stanford.edu/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&f%5Bphotographer_ssi%5D%5B%5D=Rudolfo+Mailander&per_page=100&range%5Bpub_year_isim%5D%5Bbegin%5D=1954&range%5Bpub_year_isim%5D%5Bend%5D=1954&q=mercedes+benz+300+SL+production&search_
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I've been working on 190SL's 10 years longer than 113's so I know them a little bit. In the picture of the 190, you will see that the engine was installed without the trans but with all manifolds, carbs and the plenum chamber installed. This would speed up the job considerably as it's a chore to install the engine with the trans and one of the other problems is that long header pipe that can only be installed from above. If the engine is installed with the trans, all of the carbs and manifolds have to be off the engine and must be installed afterwards. This would of added considerably to assembly time and they were trying to make money. The factory would of had all of the tools and jigs to make all of this happen easily whereas I have to do all of this the hard way.
It should be noted that this wasn't an ordinary assembly line. It moved very slowly with only about 15 cars rolling out the door every day. The idea that these weren't quality built cars ( as stated by by a poster in the comments section ) is pure horse #&%$ and it really attests to the ignorance some people have about MB after the war.
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Great photographs from the '50s!
Here is what it is like now. 3500 employees, 303,000 units in 2015 from this plant!
https://www.mbusi.com/factory (https://www.mbusi.com/factory)
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ejboyd5,
Nice collection. Thanks!
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Here are a couple pictures of the restoration/reassembly of a 300SL. (Same place we're reassembling the 300S Roadster...)